BRING IN SPEED

The dynamics of road construction equipment is changing with machines being equipped with better technology

- Molly R

The Indian infrastructure sector is growing at a scorching pace. Be it highway or rural road con-struction, railway construction or home con-struction, every segment is picking up speed. In fact, it is estimated that by 2025, India’s infrastructure market will emerge as the third largest in the world, which will exhibit huge demand for construction machines equipped with latest technology, owing to the advantages offered by them.

Jaikumar Kamath, head, road machinery, L&T Construction & Mining Machinery, says, “Road construction activity has hastened in the last few years with the current target being revised by the Union Ministry of Surface Transport to 60 km per day. To accelerate this activity and complete projects in time, machines need to be of the latest technology. We see a lot of emphasis the world over on going green with road construction equipment in India having to be CEV-IV complaint from April 2021 onwards. This needed a major technology change as far as engines were concerned, and the emissions of these CEV-IV complaint machines will be substantially lower.”

The onus on Indian manufactures is to provide a technologically advanced machine which is cost effective. Jalaj Gupta, business head, commercial vehicles, Mahindra Construction Equipment, says, “We need to understand the requirement of our contractors who are in constant budgetary pressure of the project. Road development in India is more focussed on rural sector along with highways. We are focusing on small contractors both in road construction and infrastructure development. Everything from roads to railways, from aviation to agriculture, various ministries and departments will see development. We are also gearing up with better and improved range of our cost effective and value for money motor graders.”

MAKING IT HAPPEN